tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post4007893483884669962..comments2024-03-28T15:13:08.509-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Parsons of old Hollywood gossip / SAT 3-17-17 / Rotating part of tape recorder / Official on Segway / Epitome of completeness / Belbenoit noted escapee from Devil's Island Rex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger118125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-16967218810816979152018-04-22T17:25:04.409-04:002018-04-22T17:25:04.409-04:00Hard until it wasn't. Started in the SW with ...Hard until it wasn't. Started in the SW with LOUELLA dishing on SOREN and worked out from there. Finished in the NE after a hard time with numerous clues, the playground, the little sweater, just everything. Wanting NOG very badly finally led to NESTEGG, but it still put up a fight with the K being the last letter after changing it from m.centralscrewtinizerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03404913280254786506noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-791450617152989052018-04-21T20:29:26.376-04:002018-04-21T20:29:26.376-04:00Spectacular dnf - just so many errors and brain bu...Spectacular dnf - just so many errors and brain burps today. Maybe I need a new brain diet? OK - I'll blame a late night last night - saw West Side Story with a live orchestra - songs still going thru my head.<br /><br />Diana, Lady-in-Waiting for Crosswords, Having a Busy WeekDiana,LIWnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-600692587401730462018-04-21T15:15:50.310-04:002018-04-21T15:15:50.310-04:00If you don't count my write-overs at PRIOR com...If you don't count my write-overs at PRIOR commitment, spumONI, and ObE, this was relatively easy for a daunting-looking grid. But I had to work hard to fix those, especially the Italian dessert. If I'd looked at the kd lang clue early, maybe I'd have avoided the big down w/o.<br /><br />Anyhoo, it all turned out fine, and no TANGERINES were harmed during the solve.<br /><br />CONSTANT CRAVING is an amazing song. kd has an amazing voice.<br /><br />Before I got KNESSET, I hesitated to put in DIETETICS because "diet" was in the clue for that one. However, totally different "diets", so OK.<br /><br />So, easy NW, SW; a little harder SE and a tough NE for me. I'd say more but I have a 7 D.rainforestnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-35807371928149124132018-04-21T14:48:09.134-04:002018-04-21T14:48:09.134-04:00Seemed to be off to a fast start by plopping in PR...Seemed to be off to a fast start by plopping in PRIORcommitMENT as first entry. Trouble ensued. Looked that one up to get out of the trouble. So, DNF.<br /><br />With that, ahem, little fix, most of the rest fell into place, and it was fun but not easy.<br /><br />VERE, VER, and VON made a neat little trio.<br /><br />ANDIRON and KNESSET cleverly clued. <br /><br />Five fairly independent small puzzles ATONEGO. <br />leftcastTAMnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-68352275066087611352018-04-21T11:13:17.245-04:002018-04-21T11:13:17.245-04:00For me it was quite a different experience: easy, ...For me it was quite a different experience: easy, easy, easy, easy--and the NE. But the NE was enough to carry this all the way to challenging; I came within a whisker of throwing in the towel. The area looks like it was hit with ink bombers. Had SPUMONI for the longest time. And having to deal with another stupid RPR didn't help. CAPSTAN? If you say so. I had to get that one on crosses. Nothing fit until I at last I made my third or fourth change to 18-across: all I had to do was REWORD it! OK, a puppet is a PAWN. A stretch, but...yeah, OK.<br /><br />Outside that nightmare corner I have only the extra-letter gripes already mentioned; last letter was the second E of RENE. I second the motion for Ms. Russo as DOD; all in favor: aye. Motion is carried. Birdie. spacecraftnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-68271642936545178572018-04-21T10:03:44.668-04:002018-04-21T10:03:44.668-04:00Wow, that was fast, 15 minutes with one of OFL’s w...Wow, that was fast, 15 minutes with one of OFL’s write-overs having ObE before ODE. MALLCOP and CAPSTAN fell right in and it was off to the races, even taking time to write “HAR” in the margin for the clue “Chit in a pot”. Think about it. Can’t believe it went unnoticed by the commentariat. Do you have a pot to chit in?<br /><br />There is a RPR of sorts with NOTIT, spelled by the DOTTEDI and SILENTT, which from which IT is DERIVED, just the T isn’t SILENT.<br /><br />Edwin STARR a gimme in part because on Friday A.M.s 89.3 The Current (which does play a lot of ALTRNATIVEROCK) has a feature called “Song Wars” using as a theme song “War”, by said Edwin STARR.<br /><br />Since I saw the re-make of The Thomas Crown Affair last night, I will co-opt the given RENE into yeah baby RENE Russo.<br /><br />A fine puz, but that’s the end of my LEISURE as I couldn’t SLEEPIN today due to a PRIORENGAGEMENT at work. Write at you LATERON.<br />rondonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-30741034556524487582018-04-21T09:36:16.727-04:002018-04-21T09:36:16.727-04:00CONVERT LATERON
LOUELLA had a CONSTANTCRAVING
DER...CONVERT LATERON<br /><br />LOUELLA had a CONSTANTCRAVING<br />DERIVED long AGO, so EARNEST and subliminal:<br />She ADHERES in her LEISURE to behaving<br />by SLEEPIN’ with PERVS and CAREERCRIMINALS.<br /><br />--- SOREN PORE<br />Burma Shavenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-81905535727406701382018-03-18T08:06:09.841-04:002018-03-18T08:06:09.841-04:00@anon 1119 sorry wrong. Quick is an adjective. It ...@anon 1119 sorry wrong. Quick is an adjective. It describes [noun] that [verbs] quickly. You should try reading.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-13708414356456377852018-03-17T23:19:30.548-04:002018-03-17T23:19:30.548-04:00@phil phil 3:22
Quick is an adverb all by itself, ...@phil phil 3:22<br />Quick is an adverb all by itself, as are fast, near, close, and lots of other really wonderful English words that are being ruined by the kind of "grammarists" that are featured in another of this weekend's puzzles.<br />There is no need to say or write "quickly" - the idea that all adverbs must be marked by the suffix -ly is a sorry development of ill-informed grammar-fascists of the past 100 years. You can go along with those types if you like, or you can stand up for English, proper English, spoken well.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-76112182933094059112018-03-17T22:35:41.926-04:002018-03-17T22:35:41.926-04:00A solid effort, but the North was not as easy as i...A solid effort, but the North was not as easy as it was for others. When I feel that the fill is not gonna be exciting, my brain stops working in protest. SHEERED, CAPSTAN/ABALONE/ANDIRON, ETAILER/ENERO/VERE were not the most pleasant clusters. So yeah, even though the cleanliness of the fill deserves applause, it was definitely not the most exciting Saturday fill. The esoteric clues for that section also didn't help its case. "Little sweater = PORE" is pushing it a bit too much, I think.<br /><br />I mean, it definitely wasn't unpleasant, and was a nice workout at times. The longest answers were a great foundation for the puzzle. But in the end, this is a puzzle where a mostly boring fill meets a boring set of clues, Sad, because it seemed to have a lot of potential.<br /><br /><b>GRADE:</b> B-, 3.2 stars.semioticus (shelbyl)https://www.blogger.com/profile/16204028248874222567noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-68137106509325687072018-03-17T22:14:26.172-04:002018-03-17T22:14:26.172-04:00Anon@8:44, there’s nothing wrong with loving KenKe...Anon@8:44, there’s nothing wrong with loving KenKen.BarbieBarbienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-72051568218148087722018-03-17T21:07:56.565-04:002018-03-17T21:07:56.565-04:00Amazingly, I first got PRIOR COMMITMENT and REPEAT...Amazingly, I first got PRIOR COMMITMENT and REPEAT OFFENDERS right off the bat. "Amazingly" in that both fit but both are wrong. Having REPEAT OFFENDER. instead of CAREER CRIMINATL made me put REEL___ instead of CAPTSTAN, although luckily my sound recording background gave me the guts to move to CAPSTAN and figure out what a better 8-down should be.floatingboyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01156775849446995168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-4467952358962185052018-03-17T20:57:00.538-04:002018-03-17T20:57:00.538-04:00Wasn't going to comment today but saw Anon (9:...Wasn't going to comment today but saw Anon (9:56)'s error of Knishes for KNESSET for Mideast diet. Best mistake ever - Anon is right and Roland Huget is just wrong. And yes, I could live on a diet of knishes.<br /><br />The puzzle? Clean, easy for a Saturday, and fun. Cannoli before TORTONI cost some time in NE, should have tried knishes there too.Mohair Samhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16502840715719161565noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-70735649106387987502018-03-17T20:44:42.978-04:002018-03-17T20:44:42.978-04:00That creep Rex is trumpeting Ken ken on Twitter. H...That creep Rex is trumpeting Ken ken on Twitter. Hypocritical douche.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-84611178953762090232018-03-17T19:52:17.742-04:002018-03-17T19:52:17.742-04:00@Z I could object that whatever they call themselv...@Z I could object that whatever they call themselves, there are no Trattorie in NYC [I mean, not a critique, Trattorie are the worst].cristiano vallinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-21372882123446581152018-03-17T19:51:09.195-04:002018-03-17T19:51:09.195-04:00I guess easy and Saturday don’t mesh with me. Two ...I guess easy and Saturday don’t mesh with me. Two minutes faster than my glacial usual. Always just happy to finish a 50K ultra or a Saturday puzzle. I’m always impressed with the rest of you that breeze through these things.Hungry Motherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13465905817770134952noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-80548870367968163782018-03-17T19:44:59.193-04:002018-03-17T19:44:59.193-04:00I am currently on day 4 at SXSW and the synapses a...I am currently on day 4 at SXSW and the synapses are not fully firing any more. I didn't get to the puzzle this morning, so I finished it during a rest stop before I wander out one more time. It's a marathon, and we're on mile 22. (Not that I would know what actually running a marathon would be like.)<br /><br />This puzzle would have been a "yeah, ok, that mostly works" but dropping in k.d. lang and Radiohead was enough of a 'hell yeah' moment in my music-saturated universe right now. CAPSTAN and TUMBLER I both knew, eventually, with a couple crosses. The clue on KNESSET was a winner. No idea about VERE or SHEERED but for the crosses. <br /><br />TomAznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-72319199612566724042018-03-17T19:04:03.168-04:002018-03-17T19:04:03.168-04:00MEDiVAC, dang it. @LMS, I would’ve missed my erro...MEDiVAC, dang it. @LMS, I would’ve missed my error had I not read your comment. <br /><br /> I struggled to get going. Somehow TUMBLER came to me and unlocked (ahem) the SW. After that, smooth sailing. CONSTANTCRAVING held me up, only because I was convinced it was Sweet Surrender. Wrong artist and a letter short.<br /><br />Highly enjoyable Saturday puzzle.Chip Hiltonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-81726856722016499222018-03-17T18:53:47.312-04:002018-03-17T18:53:47.312-04:00I hear you! Until this morning I thought that it w...I hear you! Until this morning I thought that it was Medivac! Alycenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-61507264527080437012018-03-17T18:20:34.279-04:002018-03-17T18:20:34.279-04:00@Quasi and @Joe Bleaux -- I can't believe I di...@Quasi and @Joe Bleaux -- I can't believe I didn't see the references to "Walk Away Renee" earlier, one of my favorite songs (we've talked about it on this board before). Yes, it's "just walk away", and yes, it's the Left Banke, with the "e" on the end.<br /><br />@Nancy -- I should have guessed you'd already have the Sondheim book. After I posted I was leafing through it again last night -- really great inside details about the process of getting a show completed. And his evaluations of other lyricists are bonuses (even if a little snobby on occasion).Joe Dipintohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07922691457886440325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-48026441651031776102018-03-17T18:14:58.750-04:002018-03-17T18:14:58.750-04:00As my devoted fans know, I love it when I scan the...As my devoted fans know, I love it when I scan the clues for a toehold, don't see how I can possibly even play, then finally find a way in and actually finish, without cheating, well before nightfall. Mr. Roland Huget is always good for that. Like @Rex, I tried to start 8D with "repeat" criminal, which prompted me to talk myself out of CAPSTAN (which I actually knew). So, quickly finding a couple of confirmations (tanGerine and reGimes) in the crossings for PRIOR ENGAGEMENT, I popped it in and cruised neatly through the whole Western half. When CAREER became evident, I revived CAPSTAN, and viola, there goes the East! Really nice grid, and PTWFMM (puzzle of the week, for my money ... try to stay up on your BCSAI {blog comment section anagrams and initializations}). One nit: Editing is *not* rewording, no way, no how. @quasi, Wow ... been a long time since I was reminded of "Daddy, Don't You Walk So Fast" Thanks!Joe Bleauxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13161776968606180476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-694706532401290382018-03-17T17:49:09.822-04:002018-03-17T17:49:09.822-04:00Right there with you my friend! I am always aston...Right there with you my friend! I am always astonished at the number of times a puzzle is easy for so many and diabolical for me (as today) or vice versa. I started exactly as did OFL then tossed in REPEATOFFENDER thinking the day was going to be a breeze and stalled out. Chipped away and finally finished. Enjoyable, clever clueing but easy? No.CDilly52https://www.blogger.com/profile/07727001753847073030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-40965106285589515742018-03-17T17:42:39.765-04:002018-03-17T17:42:39.765-04:00(I learned the word "andirons" almost 30...(I learned the word "andirons" almost 30 years ago in Memphis while ... yup, working a crossword puzzle.)Joe Bleauxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13161776968606180476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-15875625923964939322018-03-17T17:39:37.868-04:002018-03-17T17:39:37.868-04:00The grid was handsome and, at first glance, very i...The grid was handsome and, at first glance, very intimidating. I dropped in at the NE and worked my way clockwise around the outside. CAPSTAN, SHEERED, and ABALONE had me looking for an ocean theme. The center was harder to get traction in until TANGERINE revealed itself.<br /><br />I was able to finish unscathed after a detour through acE and ObE to ODE. Kudos to the constructor/editor for the KNESSET and DOTTEDI clues. Rated this sort of easy with flashes of brilliance.Trombone Tomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05060178443162131116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-43965098695385868892018-03-17T17:39:34.985-04:002018-03-17T17:39:34.985-04:00@Joe Bleaux, you are SO right. It's "Just...@Joe Bleaux, you are SO right. It's "Just Walk Away" -- my bad. I guess I got it mixed up with "Daddy Don't You Walk So Fast." lolQuasiMojonoreply@blogger.com